Faculty
- Understanding factors that impact organizational problem solving
- Identifying how continuous improvement methods affect performance/decision making
- Exploring innovative methods for improving/designing products, processes, and services
- Analyzing data rich environments — planning data collection efforts and statistically analyzing data sets
- Problem solving / process improvement — process maps / value analysis; system modeling (y = f(x)); statistical analysis; experimental design (planning, analysis, and optimization); total quality management (compilation of problem solving tools); Six Sigma (structured problem solving methodology)
- Product / process design — user needs analysis (survey development and analysis); quality function deployment; Design for Six Sigma (structured design methodology); robust design
Do you have a specific interest in collaborating on a research project? Please jvkovach [at] uh.edu (contact me) directly to discuss your interests and possible opportunities.
Outstanding Professor in Lean Six Sigma Award, Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) Society International, 2023
Fulbright Scholar, Iscte-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Business Research Unit, Lisbon, Portugal, Project: Leveling Up: Enhancing Portugal’s Achievement of Industrial Performance Improvements, 2021 (delayed to 2022 due to COVID-19)
Outstanding Professor in Lean Six Sigma Award, Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) Society International, 2021
Award for the Advancement of Six Sigma, ASQ Six Sigma Forum, 2019
Fellow, ASQ, 2019
Research Fellow, MH-RITES (Mental Health Research Innovation Treatment Engagement Service) Center, Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 2019
Faculty Research Excellence Award, College of Technology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 2019
Fulbright Specialist Roster Candidate, 2016-2021; Gender Summit 8 Delegate, American Association for the Advancement of Science, sponsorship provided by the National Science Foundation, Mexico City, Mexico, 2016
Best Paper Award, presented on behalf of the International Academy for Quality at the ASQ World Conference on Quality and Improvement, Nashville, TN, 2015
Best Paper Award in Quality Engineering and Management, presented on behalf of the European Academy of Management and Business Economics (AEDEM) and the European Research on Management and Business Economics Journal (IEDEE) at the 1st International Conference on Quality Engineering and Management, Guimaraes, Portugal, 2014
Named as one of the “40 New Voices of Quality” by ASQ’s premier monthly publication, Quality Progress, November, 2011
Faculty Research Excellence Award, College of Technology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 2011
Feigenbaum Medalist, ASQ, 2010
Faculty Excellence Award, Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering, 2010